Tag Archives: Directed

Have you ever lost your car in the parking lot? Do you live in fear of forgetting to lock it? Does starting it from inside the house on a cold winter’s morning sound like a magnificent start to the day? The SmartStart app can do all of this with a push of a button on your mobile phone.

SmartStart is an app that connects your car to the cloud. It’s a component of a system offered by Directed – one of the biggest car alarm and remote starter manufacturers in North America.

To use most of the SmartStart system’s features you’ll need the hardware installed in your vehicle (called Viper SmartStart) and a subscription to a Directed service plan. But, the company offers a free SmartStart app that you can use to operate many of the system's features without the equipment. Some like SmartPark (car locator) and Parking Meter (tells you when it’s time to refill the parking meter) don't require the hardware.

The main purpose of SmartStart is to remotely lock, unlock and start your car. It will send you texts whenever there is activity to report – like if multiple people use the car you’ll get notified when anyone starts it. If you have the hardware that can operate GPS, you’ll even be able to tell where the car is going. You can also control multiple vehicles and assign more than one user to control a vehicle.

Right now, the only app version that is fully integrated with the Viper SmartStart system is an iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 running on iOS 6. With the Siri function you can just say “SmartStart” and the app will open. You can preset a defined command, so when Siri launches the app, the car will automatically start and the doors can be set to lock or unlock. The app also brings in controls for SMS and email notifications.